Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 1-20-17 Edition

News Around The Nation
Black-Owned Laundrymats Making Big Profits Off Your Dirty Laundry
Currently, there are about 35,000 coin laundries in the United States, generating nearly $5 billion in gross rev- enue annually. This 70-year old business concept is espe- cially popular in the country's inner cities, but very few laundrymats are owned by African American entrepre- neurs.
But here are a few Black- owned laundrymats in vari- ous cities across the country:
#1 - S&R Laundry Serv- ices: Back in 2009, owners Simeon and Ruth Chance (originally from Guyana) came up with the idea for their company when their washing machine broke and they had to use a local laun- drymat. Soon after, they launched their very own pick- up and delivery laundry serv- ice in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Since then, they've opened their first storefront dry cleaner store.
#2 - Heavenly Washes Laundry Matt: Based in Winter Haven, Florida, CEO Shaterra Jordan came up with the business idea while sleeping in a dream when she was collecting unemploy- ment from the field of her studies, nursing. She stepped out on faith with her 401k in hand and opened her first lo- cation in 2013. She opened her second location in 2015.
#3 - Laundry Cafe: Based in Philadelphia,
Darryl and Fylynne Crawford, owners of Kimbark Laundry in Chicago
Pennsylvania, this Black- owned laundrymat is the cre- ative vision of two humble individuals who grew up in the inner city and share the commitment of providing an upscale laundry experience to their customers in under- served communities. They say that this allows them to reinvest in and uplift the communities they serve.
#4 - Kimbark Laundry & Dry Cleaning: In 2007, after selling some South Side apartment buildings they co- owned, Fylynne Crawford and her husband, Darryl were shopping for a new business venture in the Chicago, Illinois area. Through a broker, they learned that Kimbark Coin Laundry was for sale, and so they bought it. They have since added a drop-off laun- dry service, a dry-cleaning
service and a pick-up and de- livery service.
A valuable Black history lesson: Although very few laundrymats are Black- owned, according to MadameNoire.com, African Americans have always been leaders in the industry. In fact, what is now called "dry cleaning" is actually a process that was patented in 1821 by a Black entrepreneur/tailor from New York City named Thomas Jennings.
Back then, however, it was called "dry scouring". He re- portedly was the first Black man to ever receive a patent, and even more, he used his profits to help free slaves and end slavery in the Northeast. For details on how to start a coin-operated laundrymat, visit www.entrepreneur.com/arti- cle/190424
Despite Meeting With Trump, Steve Harvey Says: ‘I Won’t Be At Anybody’s Inauguration’
Steve Harvey is getting a lot of heat from the Black community regarding his re- cent meeting with Donald Trump, but he recently told reporters that he will not be attending the presidential in- auguration. He says that his wife has other plans for him on that day.
The comedian, author, and TV/radio personality recently made headlines when the cameras captured him just as he was leaving a meeting with Trump. He reportedly made a brief stop to speak with jour- nalists and then posed for what many are calling “an awkward photo-op” with Trump.
Afterwards, Harvey told them that he and Trump had a “really cool meeting” on how to help inner cities and “bring about positive change.” He also added that Trump intro- duced him to Dr. Ben Car- son, who is now the new director of Housing and Urban
STEVE HARVEY
Development. Harvey added that Trump
realizes that there are serious problems in areas, and that he wants to do something about it... and that Chicago would be one of many cities that they want to help.
Despite this meeting, how- ever, Harvey insists that he won’t be attending the inaugu- ration.
“I’ll be turning 60 on Tues- day and my wife is taking me far away,” he said. “So, I won’t be at anybody’s inauguration because my wife said no.”
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